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Monday, June 22, 2015

I love to prune. I mean LOVE it. Ask my husband and his face will cloud over, because he hates pruning. He gets ouchy about it not because he actually hates the act of pruning; he hates that I love it so much. He isn't convinced that pruning trees and shrubs is altogether good for them. It's one of the Top Ten Things We Argue About. (I know you have silly things that you argue about with your significant other too, so stop laughing.)

When Fiskars, a company who has been in business for 365 years now (!!!), asked me if I wanted to try out some of their PowerGear2™ products, I got all giddy. It's not that we don't have any pruners or loppers, or hedge shears, because we do, but to get to try out some brand new ones? Let me have at 'em.

I'd actually won a pair of PowerGear2™ loppers at the Chicago Flower and Garden Show, but that was in early March and with the weather we were having after we got home from that, not much pruning was being done. But I've had a chance to try these out for a little bit and here's what I think:

Overall, all three products I tried were easy to use and with one exception, I had no problems. These are quality tools that come with a Lifetime Warranty. What I liked most about them were the relatively light weight, compared to some I've used, and the mechanisms operated extremely smoothly.

We I had quite a bit of pruning to do on both trees and some flowering shrubs, so last week I really put the loppers and the pruners through their paces. Easy breezy, and I mean that. I've got a little bit of arthritis in my right hand (my pruning hand) and they both cut through what I was pruning so easily that there was no stress on those joints at all. Fiskars actually did an extensive study of how the human body interacts with tools and used what they learned to ergonomically design these tools for the optimum comfort and performance.

Also, the non-stick surface of the blades made cleaning them a breeze. That was especially important to me with the hand pruners. It seems like I'm always cutting something close to the ground or unfortunately, using them in a closed position to dig dandelions out. (Yeah, I know, pruners aren't supposed to be used for digging, but when they're in my hand and there's a dandelion...) With the spring we've had and all the rain, mud happens.

I only used the hedge shears a little bit, because we really didn't have a lot of that type of work to do just yet, but I found them to be just as smooth to use as the other two tools.

I mentioned one problem earlier, and that was with the hand pruners. I'm a hand pruner hussy, in that I will try any pruner that I can get my hands on. You can never have too many pruners, right? I've tried a LOT of them and I have my favorites. I'm still getting used to these, because they have this really cool ergonomic feature, in that the handle rolls as you squeeze them shut, to help eliminate blisters and hand fatigue. That's different and it feels different.

The pruners, I think, must be designed for a larger hand than mine (which is small), because I felt the need to hold them closer to the blade than I think was intended. I say this, because more than once when I squeezed them shut to prune, I caught the fleshy part of my index finger in the rolling mechanism and it pinched. To be fair, I've had a similar problem with another brand of pruners (in about the same position of the handle), so I think it must be more me and the way I hold them than it is the pruners. But I wanted to mention it. I'm going to keep using them though, because they really do perform well, and perhaps I'll get over that pinching business.

So if you want a chance at winning a pair of them for your very own, just leave a comment to this blog post and tell me, yes or no, if you like to deadhead/prune your flowers or not. Some people hate the job, and some people love it. I love it, but if you hate it, you're probably going to want these to make quick work of it.

When you leave a comment, be sure to also provide a way for me to contact you, should you be the winner. (Email address is fine.) The giveaway will run until midnight EDT, Sunday, June 28, 2015. I'll use Random.org to randomly pick five winners from all the comments. Good luck!

____________________________Fiskars sent me the three tools featured above for purposes of testing and review. All opinions stated here about the tools are my own, based on my experience with them. No further compensation of any kind was given. This blog post contains my affiliate links for Amazon. If you decide to purchase anything through these links, I thank you. It won't cost you any more, but it may add a few cents to my account.

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comments:

I would love to try these Fiskers. I have a pair of Felcos that the handle turns on like you described. I love them. I have just about worn them out. I also need a new loper. I might just go get one of these. My shrubs are getting so big. And yes I like to trim too. I have to keep after my flowers. that need deadheading. It is a neat and tidy thing to do in the garden. Not much effort for a great look.

I absolutely love the Fiskars products and I sure could use a new pruners as my hubby tried to sharpen mine and now I can't trim my roses or even cut paper for that matter (not that I ever cut paper with my pruners. they are just that dull). I think that will take care of me letting hubby ever sharpening my garden tools ever again.I do lots of pruning myself; trimming back the shrubs, my roses, etc.Thank you for this wonderful giveaway opportunity.

Most of the pruning jobs in our yard are small tasks. We have three lilacs, various evergreens and shrubs. The majority of our plants are perennials along with sunflowers every year. To keep the yard tidy I deadhead and cut back anything that just has no chance of surviving. Spending time in our garden is my 'down time' - so yes I love it : D Working with a spent tool really mucks up my 'zen' lol. I'd love to win these Fiskers. Thanks for the chance : D

I deadhead way too late because I let it get ahead of me. It's not that I hate to do it; I just don't get to it soon enough.I already have the hedge shears, so I know how good their products are. Thanks for the chance to win the hand pruners - I might get better at that deadheading business!

I actually do not love to prune but know it is a necessity...and yes those pesky blisters and hand fatigue are part of the reason I do not prune as much as I should. I would love to try these out and see how well they perform. I have an old pair of Fiskars that I still use but they are getting to their end....maybe time for a new pair.

I have the Fiskars hand pruners, and they are easy to use - especially since I have a touch of carpal tunnel and tennis elbow in my dominant right hand. They do work very well for popping up dandelions, too - glad I'm not the only one using them for that!

Yes, I am a happy pruner, too. I love getting rid of the dead blossoms, to make way for another bloom. I have small hands, too, and t is not easy to find pruners that are a good fit. And loppers were especially useful for winter-killed branches. I can always use new ones!

I have a fence-full of honey suckles which I use a hack saw on. It isn't easy. My neighbor is elderly and I do heryard as well.....The long handled Fiskars would be a dream come true. I really love your blogs, by the way. Itseems like you lead such an idyllic life.....when things are going bad for me, your blog returns me to the 70's whenI found things simple. Thanks.

What? Pruners aren't meant to be used for digging? Who says? :) I love pruning. It's like vacuuming. Instant gratification! I was so jealous of the peeps who won new pruners at the Fling. I just lost one of my pair in the compost pile when I dumped my cart. Argh! So, yes...please! ~Julie

I'd love to give these a try. I occasionally don't have as much grip strength as I need, especially with trees and brush. I don't always enjoy the deep pruning cuts that often need to be done to reshape and reinvigorate a bush, but I like nipping off spent flowers because it takes so little to freshen up a plant.

I am one of those who is lucky enough to be married to a fine lady who also loves to do the pruning and deadheading and I can think of nothing sweeter I could do for her than to win her one of these fine Fiskars pruners. I myself, not so much the pruning type, but certainly do love the woman who is! Thanks for entering my name in the drawing. gkubicki at birdbull dot com

Well, I don't LOVE to prune, but I want my garden to look good so I prune. I like to do the roses, because I love them so much. Right now I need to deadhead my Knauti! I've let it go to long and the garden looks unkept. So, that's on my list to do today!!I just really love to be in my garden doing anything. And yes, I talk to my plants! I have a Shurbert Cherry tree that always needs pruning, and my pruners are about warn out. I would be thrilled to receive Fesker pruners!

I'm not much of a pruner. More of a "just cut it to shape and get on with it" guy. My wife practices the "art" of pruning and finds a ratcheting pruner very helpful. Will be getting her one of these to try out.

What an opportunity! I have yet to find the hand pruner that works well enough to really like. I do have a Fiskars lopper already, a previous version, which have worked well for me. I helped my friend lop her gigantic wisteria with it last spring. I was really impressed by Fiskars' longevity as a company. 365 years is amazing. Did they invent scissors?

I'm weird in that I like pruning. But I'm still learning the correct way and time to prune. Azaleas all over town tremble when I walk out with my pruners in the off-season since I severely pruned our 30+, 10' azaleas at the wrong time of year. ooops.

Would LOVE to receive these and I do like to prune, sometimes I do it too early. Besides my hubs takes my pruners for his fruit trees and I have to hunt them down. I would definitely hide these !!!! And you know how to connect with me if I win a pair. <3

Yes, I do deadhead some (not all) of my flowers. If the weather's not too muggy, it's relaxing, and the plants look so much nicer with the spent flowers removed! :o) Thanks for the giveaway! (johansson at gulftel dot com)

I don't like to deadhead, but like to prune to keep things from getting out of bounds. My son loves to garden, so when he's around lots more gets done in the yard. He's not the best at putting everything back where it belongs, so a second pruner would be great. pjaneg@prodigy.net

Well, deadheading and pruning are among my favorite garden chores. Really. But then most garden chores are my favorite things to do. Which reminds me ... I need to deadhead my Salvias! Plus, I really need a new set of pruners. Good luck to me. ;-)

i deadhead most things and prune as i can, trying to remember which plants to do when, especially the hydrangeas, but i prefer to weed. thanks for a wonderful giveaway - i'd love a new pair, especially since neither i nor the lawn mower has yet found the pair i "lost" when cleaning an iris bed last summer. i looked up as i finished, then had to run through the back yard and part of the orchard to keep my brother -- who was on the riding mower -- from completely "pruning" over one of my flowerbeds at our farm. my hands and arms were full of my pruners and weeds/detritus for our discard pile as i ran, and i dropped the pruners somewhere in "my little acre." --suz in ohio

I like to deadhead my plants. It's almost Zen-like, because it takes so little thought, and I like taking care of them and helping them grow. Thx for entering me in your contest! I need some new pruners. Inkycreek at gmail dot com

I do indeed dead head my rosebushes and other flowering plants to keep their pretty Bloom Smiles coming back. Except for the Home Run and Knockout rosebushes that is. Those only get a shaping pruning in early spring. Shaping pruning is needed throughout the growing season with some of my rosebushes to keep them looking nice and helps stimulate more nice growth. Yes I love to prune and my current Power Gear pruners are needing replacement soon. They have a great long pole type pruner called the Power Stroke too, it works great to prune the rosebushes when folks like me just cannot get down on the ground like I used to.

I have serious issues with my hands, having lost several fingers to an issue called Arthritis Mutilans. Finding tools which allow me to continue to do my gardening and yard work is a blessing. Getting them free would be wonderful as I'm on disability and have a very limited income.

I need a new set of loppers, and my old gardeners hands wiuld really appreciate any help. I am volunteering this year at a demonstration apple orchard and my old loppers have been so bad that I just borrow others when I work. So count me in for the pruner give away. If I love them I will buy myself some loppers.

I admit it, I'm not a fan of pruning and deadheading, but I do it, because it makes things look so tidy. Almost all pruning falls to me, because hubby refuses to do this job. He thinks there is some kind of magic formula, but I try to tell him "Just make it look good!"

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